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Every year after a few months of decreased running due to winter months, I receive emails from people who are starting to ache after only a few days of running. Typically, if you take off for more than 2-3 months from a regular running routine, chances are when you start again you will start off “where you left off” and actually ...

It doesn’t matter if you are a rookie on probationary status, or you are a tenured member of the team, always ask questions! Common knowledge states that there is no such thing as a stupid question. If you don’t know something, ask a person who does. By asking questions you may not only help yourself, but other members and officers as ...

Fire departments have the luxury of choosing any candidate they feel would best represent their organization. To an outsider, if your friends are of questionable character, then so are you. You have heard the old saying, “Birds of a feather flock together.” If your friends are getting into trouble, then, potentially, so are you. Even if you are not a party ...

_Sandy2502_ - A little more advice. As you go through fire school. Always stay a chapter ahead of the class. Then the class becomes a review and Highlighting becomes easier. Be careful of the Dept. A-holes. We all have them. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and orders if you feel it is unsafe. If they are talking FF-ize and ...

This is dependent on the type of service you are in. Most fire based services run a 24 on and either a 48 or 72 off schedule. Some do a 24 on, 24 off, 24 on, 24 off than 4 days off. Typically, the fire based services work an average of 8 days a month. Some EMS departments run this type ...

Setting a plan of how to reach your promotional goals can be a very intimidating process. There is a multitude of information and it can be overwhelming. I encourage promotional candidates to look at their future exam through a different set of glasses, those of the person creating the exam. Become the Test Maker One of my favorite sayings is, Become ...

The in-basket exercise has been around forever and is one of my favorites. A candidate is given a list of items that must be addressed within a certain time frame. He or she is asked to prioritize the items and justify his reasons to the panel. It’s up to the candidate to determine what is important, and what is urgent. The ...

Introduction In the past half a century, the role of firefighters has changed a great deal. There was a time when the business of fighting fires was not as involved as it is today. The job mainly consisted of was cleaning fire engines, taking care of the station and answering phones, and then rushing to an emergency when duty called. While ...

Worried about your firefighter oral board interview? First, take the proper amount of time to prepare. Being well-prepared will boost your confidence and lower your anxiety. Experts recommend that you spend at least three hours preparing for each interview. You should draft answers to the most common interview questions and practice speaking them out loud. You also should read up ...

In this industry you have to have the will and the desire to get the job done, whatever that job may be. You may have to spend hours training with your department in new firefighting techniques and styles. You may have to fight for one more ounce of strength as you battle endless, angry flames during a call. You may have ...

This week, I received an email from an Army Soldier who was having a difficult time running a few months ago. His breathing patterns were so erratic that he was basically hyperventilating while running his two mile PFT run. Once he started breathing properly as well as exhaling FULLY, he was able to perform better in the run – not only ...

The Fire and Rescue industry is and can be very demanding, both physically and mentally. When most of us hear the word “physical,” we automatically think of ripped abs and tones arms. This is not the context that we use this word. The phrase “good physical condition” simply implies that you can handle strenuous activity for a certain period of time. ...

“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” This statement certainly applies to the interview portion of the firefighter exam, where you only have one opportunity to make a favorable first impression. Even before the start of an interview, the first thing the raters will notice about you is your overall demeanor and appearance. Your eye contact, facial ...

What Should Your Career Path Be? FireLink has reviewed hundreds of job forecasts detailed in the US government’s 2010-2011 Occupational Outlook Handbook to bring you a list of what labor experts believe to be the fastest growing fire and rescue careers of the next decade. Whether you are working to get into first response or want to make sure you ...

_Q: Any advice as in what to get used to, how to react, and what to study (i.e. math?)_ Related Links Firefighters with degrees earn more: Get a Fire Sciences Degree Join the FireLink EMS Group A: For EMT, basic math is OK. Paramedic is more involved and you go a little further than basic math. Remember, the answers to ...

Lets look at some of the intrinsic/extrinsic factors which will assist you in deciding if this is the right choice for you. • Basic Eligibility- You are in a position of trust. Whether a volunteer or career paramedic, you will need to undergo some type of background check. In other words, if you have felonies on your record you can stop ...

One positive component of volunteering is the opportunity to meet people. Also, if you volunteer in a combination departments you get to see the inner workings of the department before you apply. More importantly you get to have face time with people who can help you along the way. Look for someone to mentor you. Read the numerous trade journals and ...

Okay, you got hired…now what? Well, that depends on the type of job. If you are going to be a fire based medic, you will probably have to go through the fire academy for up to 12 weeks. One of the conditions of hiring being hired was probably a pretty strict physical, back-ground examination as well as having to pass the ...

The term “Assessment Center” often sends promotional candidates into frenzy. It is unfamiliar to many people and as a result their already increased anxiety over the promotional process is heightened. The purpose of this article is to shed some light on the process. No department wants to have quality candidates get lost in the testing process, rather it’s an opportunity for ...

One of the most challenging parts of any supervisor’s job is dealing with employees. In the fire service we are particularly poor at imposing discipline on our members. Since we live, eat, sleep and work together for long periods of time, supervisors are reluctant to address poor performance. It is important to remember that the fire department is held to the ...